Therianthropes
by ohhthegreatestblinkinglight
Summary: (Shapeshifters AU) Antonio is a therianthrope, a person with the inborn ability to transform into an animal. He meet Lovino who saves his life but disappears right afterwards. Now Antonio needs Lovino's help in unraveling the mysteries behind the legends of the first Therianthropes that walked the earth, all the while eluding powerful hunters who seek their blood.
1. The Beginning

"Antonio, don't stray too far from me."

Antonio, age 11, nodded eagerly as he eyed shelves upon shelves of candy in the convenience store. The delightfully colorful wrappers glistened like jewels in Antonio's eyes and soon any promise he had made melted under the influence of his favorite chocolates and sweets. Without a backward glance, Antonio skipped down the aisle and grabbed his favorite marshmallow bar between his stubby fingers. Turning around to show his mother his find, Antonio was confused to find her standing very far away at the other end of the row. He called out to her," Mama-" but suddenly stopped when he saw her tense. Like a young cub, Antonio's instincts kicked in and he shrank away, hiding himself onto an empty lower shelf. His green eyes locking onto his mother's wary and fearful expression, Antonio held in a cry as he saw a strange man clad in black approach her. His mother's eyes flickered about fearfully and finally landed on Antonio. In a silent gesture, she held a finger to her lips and then quickly whipped around the face the man clad in black. The man smirked maliciously at her and started to make easy conversation. Suddenly, the man seemed to have said something that angered his mother. She roared at him as she pushed him away and cried out," Antonio! Do not come out!" Then, all the lights flickered off and everything was blanketed in darkness. It was a shred of terrible fate that no one else was in the store.

His eyes adjusting to the dark, Antonio felt a terrible shiver run through him as he heard the man laugh. Even in the dark, Antonio could see the man take out a small device from his pockets. Within seconds the man leapt upon Antonio's mother and pushed the device to her skin. Antonio looked on, horrified, as he saw his big, strong mother crumple to the ground. The man continued to laugh as he took out a metal bat. Mumbling under his breath," Now we can see your real form," the man raised the bat high above his head. The bat came down with a sickening crunch onto Antonio's mother's skull. Again and again as Antonio physically held back his screams and felt tears seeping down his cheeks, too shocked and terrified to look away. It was then his mother's form started to shift. Her long brown hair, the same shade as Antonio's, shifted to lighter colored fur and her face contorted as fangs protruded from her mouth and whiskers started to grow. His mother was no longer his mother. In her place laid a jaguar with a bloodied skull.

The sudden realization that she had transformed caused Antonio's own skin to feel incredibly tight. He unconsciously shifted until he too felt the strange tingling heat of a transformation. He looked down to see his hands were replaced by tiny paws and he felt strange all over.

" Antonio.~"

A falsely sweet voice called out to him in the dark as heavy footsteps started to approach Antonio's hiding spot. Feeling his breath stop, Antonio was too terrified to complete the transformation and quickly reverted back to his human skin. The heat dissipated from his flesh. Suddenly, he saw the man stop and grin right at him," Come out, Antonio. Uncle Nightwalker has some candy here for you." Light thuds echoed as Mar Bars and chocolate pieces dropped from the man's hand and fell on the tile floor.

Finally, Antonio gathered his courage and barreled out of his hiding place. He dove away from the man's looming hands. His feet slipping as he ran, Antonio's chest heaved as he made for the door and escaped out and away into the equally dark streets. Antonio could hear the pounding of the man's feet gaining on him and as he felt his legs tremble with fatigue, Antonio started to panic,' I don't want to die.'

It was then, he felt a strong hand grab him and pull him away into a hidden alleyway.

" Ah!"

Crying out, Antonio struggled blindly against the firm grip until he was shoved to a warm chest and a hand muffled his mouth. Eyes widening, Antonio saw the man in black sprint past their hiding place.

"Shh, dumbass! You're going to get both of us caught!" His captor hissed in his ear.

Antonio looked up to meet eyes with a wiry teen who had the most magnificent pair of hazel eyes. Eyes that seemed to understand Antonio, the same eyes that Antonio always imagined when papa told them Mother Mary was watching over them with her gentle eyes. 'This must be my guardian angel,' Antonio thought as relief flooded his veins. With a child's curiosity, he reached out to touch the face that the eyes were set in. His captor started but remained still as he tilted his head in confusion," What are you doing, stupid?"

Antonio squeaked out," Eyes! Eyes! Your eyes!"

"So?"

"uh-uh!" Antonio couldn't think of anything else to say so he simply stared up at his captor and smiled cherubically.

"Whatever, I'm Lovino. You better remember that name, kid, I just saved your sorry ass."

About to reply, Antonio's smile vanished when he suddenly heard the crunching of boots come near and a sickly sweet voice called out to the duo," Antonio~. Come here to uncle, Antonio. Thanks for finding my boy, sonny."

Antonio's captor bristled as he pulled Antonio behind him and tried to appear more menacing," Did I say you could call me sonny, you son of a bitch?" Antonio quaked behind Lovino.

Nightwalker chuckled with a low edge to his laugh," Quite a feisty one, you are, but that's my kid so why don't you hand him over, huh?"

"Not on your life, he's not your kid. He's terrified of you. Just because he stole some candy from the convenience store doesn't give you the right to menace small children, you sick bastard."

The man stopped laughed and almost looked confused," You think that…oh well then." His face split into a smirk," He's not some thief that I'm punishing. I'm not the convenience store owner. That kid is mine. Antonio is going to come home with Uncle and his mom."

Antonio felt his blood boil at the terrible statement and he couldn't help shouting out," Yo-you murderer! You killed her!"

Lovino seemed stunned," What? He did what?" while Nightwalker sighed exasperatedly as though he had to deal with an ignorant child," Antonio and his overabundant imagination. Come Antonio. Let's go." The last statement was growled out as the man stepped closer.

Antonio looked to his captor pleadingly as he backed away. Lovino appeared to understand as he shielded Antonio from view and growled back," That kid isn't going with you. "

"Who's going to stop me? You? Get lost, punk."

Without a warning, Lovino dashed forward and heaved a kick straight at the man's chest. The man fell back at the impact with an 'omph' and a dangerous glint appeared in the man's eyes," You're going to regret that, punk."

"The name's Lovino, you asshole."

Unfortunately for Lovino and Antonio, the fight was a heavily disadvantageous one. It didn't last for more than a few minutes and Lovino received most of the blows. The man was stronger and more experienced than Lovino and Lovino soon lost his ground. Blow after blow, Lovino was driven back as he cried out in pain at the welts and bruises that soon appeared on his body. As Lovino was driven into a fetal position on the ground to defend his most vulnerable parts, Antonio felt a clenching numbness and anger consume him. Fear was soon driven out as he watched Lovino be beaten into a ball. He had to do something, anything. But his body refused to move even though he was no longer paralyzed by fear.

As Antonio finally took a step forward to help Lovino, strange men appeared at the mouth of the alleyway.

" Hey! What do you think you're doing!"

The man in black cursed as he quickly stood," Shit, I can't get caught." He looked down at Lovino who was cowering on the ground even as he tried to hold back his cries of pain," I'll come back for you, Lovino brat. You're going to regret ever helping that thing." The man then fled into the darkness, soon vanishing like mist. The last thing to disappear was his sick smile, flashing in the dark.

As the strange men who turned out to be police officers helped Lovino to his feet, Antonio with tears in his eyes ran over and clung to Lovino's side.

"Is the kid your brother?"

Lovino looked down at Antonio emotionlessly before answering," No, I don't know him. You should take him to the police station."

Antonio felt an unexplained dread creeping up as the police officers tried to coax him away from Lovino's waist. He didn't want to leave his guardian angel. He shook his head and tightened his hold but Antonio's resistance was futile as Lovino reached down with his bruised hands and pried Antonio off of him. As he held Antonio's wrists firmly, Lovino handed him off to the officers' who escorted Antonio back to the police car and shut the door.

It was then Antonio started to cry out Lovino's name as he watched Lovino start to walk away from the car window," Lovino! Lovino!"

The police officers were puzzled by this but they couldn't question the teen as he had already walked far down the street and soon disappeared into the dark.

Antonio was delivered to the station where he sat forlornly in a single chair as he waited for his father to show up. Sitting alone in the chair and staring at the dusty floor, Antonio made a quiet vow to himself… he would not fail to protect the ones he loved…. He vowed something like this would never happen again. He vowed he would find Lovino again and protect him this time because... he knew that horrible man in black would return someday.

* * *

_His mother's death left a profound impact on Antonio. He developed an encompassing hatred to most candies and never dared to go inside a convenience store by himself. Eventually, time, even if only a few months had passed, somewhat dulled the pain. Life from then on was kinder to Antonio. But what had a bigger impact was the discovery of his identity and why his mother was killed._

_"Antonio. Come here."_

_"Si, papa." Antonio came and sat in front of his father with twitching fingers. Did he do something wrong?_

_"Antonio. I am going to explain to you what you- I mean.. what we are."_  
_Tilting his head, Antonio's eyes reflected a fogging confusion._

_"Antonio," Antonio's father spoke firmly," You know… that sometimes Papa likes taking trips up to the woods with your uncles and aunts."_

_Antonio nodded. He remembered the yearly family trips up to an obscure mountain. Usually, Antonio was left behind while all the adults went. His cousin Joel went last year when he was deemed an 'adult' by his parents._

_Antonio's father continued,"…We go up to the woods because we sometimes need to release our animalistic nature. We're..," he paused," Therianthropes. We are people who have the ability to change into animals."_

_Antonio blinked," …Papa, I already knew."_

_His father looked surprise and his lips grew thin in worry," Did you change in front of someone? Did anyone else see you?"_

_"I saw mama change after she was killed.. Why was she murdered Papa? Who was that bad man? " Antonio had not dared to ask until now, too fearful of hurting his father's delicate emotional state._

_An unsettling quiet fell before Antonio's father answered._

_"Antonio, when we change we become exactly like that animal. But we become in a sense the paragon of that animal in terms of our physique and a challenge to hunters. A long time ago alittle after our ancestors were cursed, there was a group of hunters created exclusively to deal with our kind. Their reward was our valuable fur, which they can only receive if we died. Our fur is extremely rare considering the circumstances, and it is a luxury only the sickest elites wish for. They become wealthy the more of us they catch. That's why mama died, that's why you must keep your identity a secret. No one, not even papa, know for sure who's a hunter and who is not."_

_"Cursed? What do you mean by cursed, papa?"_

_"We are therianthropes because our foolish ancestor angered God. Our ancestor brought back a jade jaguar statue from the new world and started a cult. There were a few followers he gleaned to help him worship that idol. He and his followers worshiped the jade jaguar and in turn angered God for they had turned away from him. He fittingly punished them by having them become jaguars themselves and put in them part jaguar souls forcing them to act on instincts… but God took pity on them and allowed them to shift in-between bodies and keep their minds. We as their descendants inherited the curse."_

_One last question remained on the tip of Antonio's tongue," Are there others like us, Papa?"_

_"Yes, but they all came to be in different ways. I hear there is a fox strain in people from East Asia who are descendants of a Kumiho who turned human but it's descendants remain foxlike. There are also others who have animalistic ancestors who acquired their traits."_

That was more than 7 years ago….

Leaning back and resting against the back of his chair, Antonio sighed and listened to the teacher's droning voice. Turning his head, he briefly glanced out the window at the blue sky and wondered what Lovino was doing right now. His green eyes flashing, Antonio smiled as he thought,' Soon, Lovino I will find you. Mi guardian angel.'

* * *

**well then, I really should stick to finishing stuff I already have xD.**

**It seems as though Antonio has put Lovino up on a pedastal, doesn't he?**  
**I wonder what will happen when he meets the actual Lovino?~~**

**I hope no one is too confused. Thanks for reading.~(^^) **

**( Side note! I have changed my pen name because it amused me to do so. This is aniloverji12. ^^ Just call me ani~~ )**


	2. Reunion?

A light, cheerful grin gracing his lips, Antonio strolled down the crowded street with no hurry to his step. His classes had ended a while ago and he could only breathe a sigh of relief as he made his way to his workplace.

It was quite lucky of him to secure a job at the old café. He had shown up without a resume and without an application but the aging owner took a liking to Antonio who was not only pleasant in nature but kind to the aged patrons of the greying, worn café. With a twinkle in his dark eyes, the old man had tossed Antonio a fading yellow apron and motioned him to stand behind the counter. Antonio didn't dare to refuse the offer.

Since then, he had with youthful enthusiasm manned his station, scrubbing down the tables and serving helpings of black coffee always with that light, cheerful grin present on his face.

The door chimed as Antonio entered the café and he threw his school bag haphazardly on a nearby stool, no one ever bothered to steal anything from this unknown café anyway lest of all a schoolbag. Humming a happy tune as he pulled on his yellow apron, Antonio picked up a few leftover dishes from table #2 and reached over to grab a rag to wipe the surface. Bending over the table as he wiped the rag in a clockwise motion, Antonio heard the bell on the door chime again and heavy footfalls enter. Faced away from the door, he greeted his patrons with a jovial trill to his voice even as his eyes never left the tabletop," Be right there with you, esteemed customers." A disbelieving snort answered him along with a good-natured chuckle.

"Esteemed customer, my ass."

"Oh, come now, fratello. I rather enjoy being called that."

"You also enjoy being called annoying and a bother, Feliciano. I wouldn't put much merit in your standards."

"Loosen up, Lovino. You simply can't take a compliment."

Antonio's eyes widened as his hand froze in midswipe. Lovino? 'Surely not,' he reasoned, trying to squelch his hopes before they rose too far,' Lovino was a common enough Italian name.' He straightened as his grip suddenly tightened on the rag in his right hand. With a nervous glint in his eyes, Antonio put on his usual smile and turned around to finally see the customers that entered his café. His breath caught in his throat.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Antonio knew it was the Lovino he was searching for who stood a few feet away. With a soft sigh to his inner voice, Antonio mused as his eyes struggled to take in all of this man he had been searching for so long,' He hasn't changed abit.'

Lovino stood glancing about in a disinterested manner in his smartly tailored clothes. His suit jacket was slung carelessly on his shoulder as his shirt was ruffled in a casual manner. Bright hazel eyes occasionally glancing to look at the man standing next to him, Lovino conversed with the man, dropping a few petty insults now and then. Antonio's smile unconsciously widened as Lovino suddenly broke his conversation and glanced over to look at the worker.

" Oy, are you going to take our orders or what?"

Antonio answered in a breaking voice, trying to conceal his joy, as he sprinted the distance to the counter, "Oh, si!"

He chided himself as he calmed his heart and took their orders. It wouldn't do to get too excited.. afterall..Lovino might not even remember him.

* * *

Lovino fixed a narrow eyed glare on his brother as Feliciano grinned playfully. For the last 20 minutes Lovino had to tolerate not only his brother's foolish chatter but the strange glances of the green eyed café worker. It was easy to conclude Lovino's naturally short temper was starting to fray.

"He is not looking at me, Feliciano. Cut it out, you're starting to become bothersome again."

"I think he might be sweet on you, fratello. See, he's looking over here again. Looking at you to be more specific."

"Maybe he's looking at you. Have you thought of that, dumbass?" It was true. His half-brother tended to draw that sort of attention from both men and women. With his light auburn hair and pleasant amber eyes, Feliciano was a close identical of their nonno who was famed to be a well desired man.

"Nope, it's you. I can tell. His gazes aren't meeting my eyes. They're all focused on you."

Lovino became slightly flustered at the explanation and fell back on a reasonable sounding answer as he calmed his thoughts, "No, he's not… If he is then it's because we're the only customers in this stupid old café."

"Lower your voice, Lovino. Nonno loved coming to this café."

"All the more reason to dislike it."

Feliciano heaved a small exasperated sigh but smiled patiently at him as though Lovino was a misbehaving child. Lovino felt a strong urge to punch that expression off his brother's face.

As he rested his elbows on the green tabletop in front of him, the glint in Feliciano eyes suddenly turned serious and a businesslike chill settled in his smile.

"Let's talk, brother."

"Finally," Lovino responded as he leaned back comfortably in his chair and met his brother's cold smile with a smirk," let's talk business."

"I hear you're headed over to Italy for another excavating trip."

"That's the plan."

"Why didn't you consult with me before you made the arrangements?"

"Because you're too busy seducing the muscle head of a CEO."

"We needed funding," Feliciano reasoned as he tried not to think too hard about poor Ludwig who was stuck in his office for the night.

"We also need a miracle of a lead if we're going to find anything on the trip. I need you with me, Feliciano."

Feliciano's cold mask dropped as he smiled apologetically at Lovino," You know, I can't leave right now. Ludwig needs me."

"Like hell he does," Lovino felt his anger spark," You're the genius excavator and I'm the historian. We're suppose to be a tag-team, dammit."

"You're too immersed in your work, Lovino. Maybe it's time to take a break and work with people who are alive."

Lovino grumbled as his gaze flickered over to the eager café worker who was pointly staring at him now,"People are less annoying a few hundred years after they die."

Feliciano tittered at the comment and stood up from his chair," Just saying the obvious, fratello. Take the trip, I won't object to it anymore. Think of it as a vacation."

Lovino also got to his feet," Where are you going?"

Felicano grinned as he gestured with his head to Antonio," Leaving you alone with that cute café worker. He looks like he wouldn't mind."

Lovino hissed through his teeth as his brother escaped out the door," But I would!" Cursing under his breath, Lovino snatched his jacket and made to run out but was stopped by a firm hand on his arm. He looked over to see the café worker with astonishing, green eyes looking almost pleadingly with him. Antonio, Lovino read on the man's small plastic nametag, fumbled his words as he tried to speak," Wait, please. Lovino. Umm. Hi. Hola.I-I.. I love you!"

Antonio looked horrified with himself even as the words came rushing out and he dropped Lovino's arm, stepping away with a slightly embarrassed blush to his cheeks.

Lovino eye's widened as he sputtered for a response and grabbed the door handle, eager to leave the strange worker," Yo-you what? I don't' even know you. How do you know who I am?"

Antonio felt his gut twist as he searched desperately for some excuse to keep Lovino here, to explain himself to his 'guardian angel'. Even as he thought in a blind panic, a small voice echoed in his head,' Lovino doesn't remember me.'

" I mean... um.. how do you say 'I love you' in Italian? I've never heard it said before and I hear it's similar to the Spanish way of saying it and I was curious because I speak Spanish…." Antonio voice trailed off as he babbled on, helplessly embarrassing himself again.

Lovino's look changed from an anxious, confused demeanor to a more curious and annoyed one.

"Why do you assume I speak Italian?"

"Cause you're an Italian. Lovino is an ethnic name."

"Fair enough but you could have been wrong," Lovino smirked as he loosened his grip on the door handle.

Antonio's self-confidence soon returned. He felt he should take a risk, afterall, he wasn't sure when or if he'd see Lovino again. He phrased his words very carefully.

"I.. We met a long time ago. Do you have time to wait? I'm closing in a few hours and I've always wanted to meet and talk with you… I mean I admire your work." Antonio added the small lie for a good measure.

Even so, Lovino's wary look reappeared and Antonio hastily added," I'll treat you to a good restaurant."

Well…. Lovino was never one to reject free food, especially from a good restaurant.

* * *

**... yeah, well remember Antonio is a high schooler. **  
**I think this AU's Antonio is nicely human and humorous. By far the best, I've written so far. **  
**xDD He embarasses himself in front of the man he has practically idolized and secretly loved in a crush sort of way.**

**Isn't that cute?~**

**ANyway... Please Review. I do read them all. **


	3. Surfacing Truths and a plate of Chinese

Cheap, red faux leather seats and a strong odor of wet rags and seeping oils invading his senses, Lovino was less than pleased by Antonio's choice of a good restaurant. His hazel eyes skimming the restaurant, Lovino was oblivious to Antonio's gaze that took it's time to travel down Lovino's face, as though trying to commit every minute detail to memory. Under the cliché neon signs that littered the walls of the Chinese restaurant, Antonio anxiously wondered how he'd explain their last encounter together. Lovino was first to break the awkward silence with an unimpressed huff, "Good restaurant? Where the hell did you find this place?"

"I was recommended it by some of my elderly customers. Apparently old man Yao runs it quite efficiently. You don't like it?"

Lovino rolled his eyes as he suddenly met Antonio's questioning gaze," No."

Antonio smiled weakly, eager to please," We could go somewhere els-"

"And bother having to find another place? Just shut up and stay put."

Antonio nodded and lowered his eyes. This was not how he imagined their reunion to be like.

Luckily before Lovino could make another petty complaint, a waiter dressed in black and white with twinkling dark, narrow eyes, a trademark of Asiatics, came over to take their orders. His rambunctious smile made Lovino feel an instant dislike for the waiter as it reminded him too much of his troublemaker cousin who tormented their family reunions.

"Hey-yo, I'm YongSoo and I'll be taking your orders."

Antonio, blind to Lovino's eyes narrowing in disdain, cheerfully answered," I'll just have the General Tso chicken with a glass of water. And you, Lovino?"

"Water."

Antonio looked over quizzically, "Just water? I did say I was paying."

"I know, I just want water." Lovino remained stubborn.

YongSoo, unfazed by Lovino's rude manners, remained smiling and quickly scribbled their orders. Once he skipped merrily away, the table was once again blanketed in an uncomfortable silence.

Fingers tapping nervously on the tabletop, Antonio tried to branch a conversation, "… Do you remember the last time we met?"

"Did we meet before?"

Antonio swallowed his disappointment, "Yes, we did."

Lovino shrugged noncommittally while Antonio bit his lip, his smile starting to fade. He realized the statement sounded like a flirtatious remark, one that Francis would have undoubtedly used.

"How old are you anyway? You look like a student."

Antonio shoved his backpack out of sight as he answered a little too hastily, "I'm 18. And you, Lovino?"

"I'm 23." Lovino then muttered under his breath, "Too old for you anyway."

Antonio chuckled in amusement as he overhead the mutter. He changed the pace of their conversation, "What is your job like, Lovino?"

Lovino quirked a brow at him, "You mean you were lying about admiring my work?"

Antonio had the effrontery to smile unabashed, "I do admire you, Lovino… I just don't admire your job as much."

"I work as a freelance historian. Mostly compiling records for governments and sometimes tracing the history of artifacts my brother finds."

Antonio nodded in appropriate appreciation as he leaned forward to listen closely but Lovino, noticing the shortening distance between them, leaned back in his seat. His eyes took on a guarded look once more as he talked.

* * *

The waiter soon returned with their orders and set the steaming plate of chicken and rice in front of Antonio. Lovino momentarily regretted his stubbornness, but scowled as he tried to hold fast to his pride. Glancing over at Lovino, Antonio pushed the plate toward the middle of the table and smiled tentatively," Are you sure, you're not hungry?" Lovino looked away from Antonio's piercing eyes and scowled at the floor, "Yes."

"Suit yourself."

Pulling the plate back towards himself, Antonio helped himself to the chicken. He smiled wryly when he caught Lovino staring at the food with blatant hunger. 'So stubborn,' Antonio thought as he put down his fork and once again pushed the plate back toward the middle.

Lovino snapped out of his hunger induced daze and glowered at Antonio," I told you, I'm not hungry."

"I know, I just don't think I'm not that hungry anymore. How about we share?"

Lovino turned his head away, trying to remain disdainful, "I don't share food with strangers."

That comment stung but Antonio's grin didn't slip.

"It's better than letting food go to waste."

Lovino peeked over at Antonio as though he might be convinced, "… I suppose."

Handing Lovino a fork, Antonio continued to persuade him, "I'd hate to pay for food to be thrown out. Can you do me a favor then, Lovino?"

Lovino smirked as he triumphantly took the fork and pierced a piece of chicken, "You owe me then, jerk. I didn't even want to eat."

Antonio grinned pleasantly as Lovino started to eat, "I know and I'll be sure to pay you back for your troubles." There was more to this statement than Lovino could ever realize. Antonio was mildly reminded of the promise he made to himself.

"Damn right, you better."

* * *

Taking out a few dollars from his tattered wallet, Antonio slipped the money into their check.

His eyes never strayed far from Lovino who was now grumbling about the slow service. It was then a flash of searing hot pain cut through Antonio's chest. He winced and curled inward.

Trying to hold his breath steady so Lovino wouldn't notice, Antonio rushed out as Lovino turned to fix him with a curious and slightly worried expression.

He winced as he slammed open a back door to the restaurant and flung himself out. Huffing as he rested against the dirty alley wall, Antonio closed his eyes and clutched his chest.

"Damn, this is terrible timing," he muttered as he felt the heat of the transformation burn his flesh. Groaning, a blanketing darkness covered his sights and Antonio passed out cold just as heavy footsteps started to approach.

* * *

**I wonder what shall happen next~~~... even I am unsure.**

**Thanks to Bookthief101 for reading my stories and reviewing with such enthusiasm... yes, senpai noticed you. **

**Also thanks to Spamano4ever, elizabeta H. Austria, and Sakurazero for reviewing and encouraging my mediocre writing. owo**

**Please Review~~**


	4. The start of the Troubling Curse

The first thing Antonio dimly registered was a muffled shout ringing in his ears. Shaking his great, black furry head, Antonio looked up to see Lovino standing in the alleyway with a frightened look stricken across his face. He noticed Lovino was trembling and he could smell Lovino's fear thick in the dank city air.

He blearly got to his feet, still disoriented from the transformation, and tried to approach Lovino. But for each step he took forward, Lovino took a step back. Antonio growled in frustration but this only cause Lovino to shriek and run for the back door. A cold claw gripped Antonio's insides and he leaped forward, pinning Lovino under him.

He couldn't let Lovino go, something deep inside of him made him so very fearful of Lovino leaving. Whether it the fear of not having the chance to explain himself to Lovino or the paranoia that he would disappear from Antonio's sights for another 7 years, something made the leopard Antonio pin down the man as he would prey and snap his jaws threateningly in Lovino's face.

Lovino became oddly calm once he was pinned down and was now muttering a soft prayer under his breath as his hypnotic hazel eyes were closed tightly in an effort to will away his surroundings.

Lovino's eyes finally snapped open after a few minutes and the gaze he directed toward the animal on top of him was described at best, annoyance mixed with a murderous intent.

A weighing guilt settled on Antonio's chest as he registered the flickering fear that still flashed in Lovino's eyes behind his fiery will.

'Oh, Lovino,' Antonio thought as he pulled his head back and lowered his lips to cover his deadly jaws.

"Antonio?" Lovino asked hesitantly as his gaze flickered in surprise and darted about as though the Spaniard would materialize nearby.

Antonio stilled. Did Lovino hear him? He couldn't possibly have... but...

'Lovino? Can you hear me?' he asked tentatively in his mind as his large head drew close to rub against Lovino's cheek affectionately.

"Yeah, bastard. Where are you! There is a giant cat on me and it's going to kill me, you idiot!" Lovino's voice wavered as he felt Antonio's soft, black fur against his cheek, but thankfully the fear was gone from his tone.

There was a long silence and Antonio could smell Lovino's fear and panic rising up again.

" Antonio? Antonio! Help me!"

'I..,' Antonio paused and stepped off of Lovino as he whined apologetically. He hoped Lovino wouldn't run away again,' Lovino, I am the cat.'

Lovino paused as he dusted off his pants," You're what?"

Tail flickering side to side, Antonio fixed his forest green eyes onto Lovino's hazel ones and uttered calmly,' I'm a leopard...'

A look of utter disbelief took ahold of Lovino's expression and he back away slowly from Antonio.

" You've got to be f*cking kidding me. This isn't funny."

' It isn't a joke,' Antonio answered as he put a paw forward as to follow Lovino but then stopped, not wanting the look of fear to return to Lovino's beautiful eyes. ' It's not my voice you're hearing, it's my thoughts.''

With that last line, Lovino's self-control snapped and he turned and fled out of the alleyway. His eyes were tightly shut as he ran blindly, wishing that every Antonio he met didn't cause him so much trouble.

Antonio was powerless to stop Lovino's flight. Sure, he could have overtaken Lovino's lead and pinned the man down again but then what? Force Lovino to stay with him 24/7? Have Lovino hate and fear him for the rest of his life?

The fact of the matter was... Antonio never had a guarantee that Lovino would stay now that he found him. He had blindly put his hope and trust on a Lovino he met years ago. A kind, lion-hearted Lovino who defended him from a terrible danger even though he suffered physical harm because Antonio couldn't save him. A dream Lovino who had captured Antonio's aspirations and gave him a goal to seek , something to find and protect,in the dark days after his mother's death.

He should have known better.

Shoulders sagging, Antonio crumpled to the concrete and let out a low snarl of anger at himself. Even now, he couldn't bring himself to be angry at Lovino. Afterall, Lovino had only reacted as a normal person would to the supernatural. It was Antonio who was at fault here.

* * *

Eventually as Antonio laid there limply on the concrete, he changed back to his human form and felt the soft warmth of his fur disappear. His clothes were, as expected, in tatters and his joints ached from lying in such an uncomfortable position. Stretching, he stood up with his usual languid ease but his mouth was set tight into a grim line.

It hadn't occurred to him while he was busy with Lovino and thoughts of Lovino but it suddenly struck him how odd his transformation was.

He had always, ever since he hit puberty, been able to control or at least delay his transformations. Never had he changed forms in public or in school. So why then? Why in front of Lovino?

His green eyes flickered as he tried to not remember Lovino's fearful face, but the question continued to nag at him. Shaking his head, Antonio collected his wallet from a wet puddle where he had lost it. His steps heavy with loss of purpose, Antonio trudged home.

* * *

**thanks for reading! It's shorter than usual but I want to move this story along. **

**Dubstepezio: I haven't seen Grimm so I didn't base it off of it. But it sounds like an interesting show. **

**Many thanks to: elizabeta H. Austria, Book Thief101, Spamano4ever, Sakurazero, 2degreesabovefreezing, and pandahero2P for continuing to encourage my story cause tbh, I am so lazy. **

**Please review! And maybe they'll get back together...**


	5. Further Explanations

Cheek resting on the cool marble countertop, Antonio gazed forward with listless, stormy green eyes. He had a while ago decided to give up on cleaning the cafe and now sat with the energy of a drooping flower.

_Could this be counted as a milestone for him? Going a week without wondering about Lovino, a person who had consumed his thoughts for the last 7 years of his life. He knew it was abnormal to be so attached to a person he barely knew, but god, he was abnormal and Lovino was the only thing that had kept him sane and hopeful. _

Now, he was gone.

After a week of waiting for Lovino to return, Antonio acknowledged that Lovino did not want to see him again. He had to acknowledge it, no matter how painful the thought seared his mind; otherwise he would have gone out to search for Lovino. He would have kept hoping…. and hope, he realized, was both a blessing and a curse.

Hope made him jump to his feet every time the cafe doorbell chimed, wondering if it was finally Lovino. Hope made him inattentive as his eyes searched the patrons of the café, looking for a stubbornly set frown amongst the nameless faces. Hope was such a dangerous thing, especially to a teen who never really grew up from idolizing his hero.

Faintly, Antonio heard the café bell chime again, signaling another customer. He pulled himself out of his thoughts and put on a strained smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as he turned to face the customer.

"Hola, how can I-" Antonio suddenly froze, his words choking to a stop as his eyes widened. Hope welled up inside of him once more.

Lovino stood awkwardly a few feet away, looking hesitant as his hazel eyes darted everywhere in an attempt to avoid Antonio's gawking gaze. Running a hand through his auburn hair, Lovino stepped closer to the counter, closer to Antonio.

Gone was Antonio's strained smile as his eyes lovingly followed Lovino's movements. (Was Lovino really back for him?)

His hands itching to reach over and gently touch Lovino, Antonio instead kept his fingertips resting on the countertop as he spoke," Hola, Lovino. Can I get you something?"

Lovino flinched visibly as he heard his name, but his voice was cold and composed as his expression reflected a disinterested calm," Just get me the Arabian blend coffee. Cream but no sugar."

"Coming right up." Antonio replied as he moved to fill Lovino's order.

His hand grasping Lovino's coffee, Antonio handed it gently to Lovino who accepted it with a muttered 'thanks'. As their hands momentarily met in the exchange, Antonio felt a warmth in his fingers that wasn't from the hot coffee cup. He smiled.

Lovino's head tilted down to hide his expression as he pulled away and reached for his wallet. His voice trembled ever so slightly as he spoke," How much?"

Antonio couldn't stop smiling. Maybe he wasn't the only one who felt the warmth," It's on the house, Lovino."

Lovino looked up and suddenly came face to face with Antonio's cheery expression. Eyes finally meeting properly, Lovino gulped and stepped back in a jerking fearful motion," …uh… grazie. Thanks. I'm going to go."

Antonio's smile suddenly dropped and a flash of panic ran through his eyes," No, wait, Lovino! Can I at least explain myself?"

A chill crept into Lovino's words as he slowly back away," You don't have to explain anything."

"But Lovino-."

They were interrupted by the chime of doorbell as another figure stepped inside. A short rather effeminate man with dark eyes stood at the doorway, assessing both Lovino and Antonio as he spoke," Am I interrupting something, aru?"

Lovino straightened as he dusted himself and tried to gain his composure," N-no. I'm leaving." The doorbell chimed ominously as Lovino rushed out.

Without another warning, Antonio in a fluid, graceful motion leapt over the counter and hurried out to Lovino. Ignoring the Asiatic man who had just entered, Antonio's eyes were solely focused on Lovino's slowly retreating form. Grabbing Lovino's arm, Antonio tugged him around so they were face to face.

" Lovino! Just wait, please. I-I want to explain myself okay."

Lovino wanted to jerk himself out of Antonio's grip but there was a cup of hot coffee in his other hand and… and…. He wouldn't have admitted it, but he too also wanted an explanation for what happened. He sighed exasperatedly as though Antonio was a great nuisance but he made no move to take back his arm.

"Fine… you get 3 minutes."

"ehem," A cough interrupted them as they turned around to see Yao huffing impatiently.

Antonio, rather confused, was first to answer," Yes? Do I know you?"

"How rude, aru. I can predict your birth and death, yet you don't even say a proper hello. Children these days. No respect for elders," Yao muttered as he turned around and started to walk back to the café. He glanced over his shoulder at the confused duo," Follow me. I have something I need to tell you, Antonio… and Lovino."

* * *

Seated at a café booth, an awkward silence fell over the trio as Yao sipped his cup of tea leisurely while Antonio and Lovino fidgeted uncomfortably in the seats across from him.  
Setting down his cup, Yao was first to speak," I bet you are wondering who I am."

Antonio and Lovino nodded, wanting the man to continue.

" I am Wang Yao-"

Antonio shot up in his seat," Wait! Are you old man Yao? The one who runs the Chinese restaurant?"

"Aiyah!" Smacking Antonio's forehead, Yao frowned as he gestured for Antonio to sit back down," Don't interrupt me!"

Ears reddening in embarrassment, Antonio rubbed his forehead and sat back down with a mumbled," Sorry."

"… as I was saying. I am Wang Yao, owner of Jade Dynasty, the Chinese Restaurant. But I am also Wang Yao, the eternal bookkeeper."

Lovino was the one to interrupt this time," The what- Oww!" He rubbed his forehead as he winced in pain. There was a solid red mark in the shape of a handprint in the center of Lovino's forehead as Yao huffed," I say don't interrupt!"

While Lovino cursed and huffed in his seat with Antonio consoling him, Yao's eyes twitched in slight irritation," Pay attention to me, you buffoons! Your lives depend on it!"

Well, that caught their attention quickly.

Taking another sip of his tea, Yao cleared his throat and spoke," I am the eternal bookkeeper. For centuries I have predicted and recorded the birth and death of every therianthrope. I am responsible for keeping the records accurate and marking the end of lineages that have gone extinct. I am in essence the historian of our people."

Antonio tentatively piped up, he didn't want to get smacked again,"… Does this mean that-"

"Yes, I know your birth and your death date. I am also privy to how you are going to die."

"Oh.." A shiver went down Antonio's spine as he heard the words. Death… how ominous things suddenly seemed.

"But that is not why I am here. I am here because there is a disturbance in my records."

Lovino spoke," What disturbance? How the hell do you know me anyway?"

Dark pitiless eyes focused onto Lovino and Lovino flinched as he saw centuries' worth of pain and knowledge in Yao's gaze," You look like him, you know."

"…. Like who?"

"Like your grandfather."

Lovino's hands unconsciously clenched as he looked away,"…. I don't."

"You do, but that is not why I am here," Yao continued," I am here because Antonio should have died seven years ago… but clearly… he didn't."

* * *

**Hahaha... hai. Did you notice the Romechu? If not, now you do. ~**

**To BookThief101: Yes, Antonio is a black leopard with spots.**

**Thanks to BookThief101, Spamano4ever, TheSpiritKitsune, and Dogsrule ( I read some of your stuff but I was too shy to review. ^^ ) for reviewing. **

**Thanks to others who are just reading. I hope you like it so far. **


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